This invention relates generally to desoldering tools and attachments and particularly relates to a desoldering system for use in connection with a soldering instrument.
Such desoldering tools are known in the art and have, for example, been disclosed in applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,334 (see particularly FIG. 4). Reference is also made to the applicant's copending application Ser. No. 835,670, filed on Sept. 22, 1977.
The last referred to application in particular discloses a desoldering attachment which may be used in connection with the applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,716. The desoldering attachment of the prior copending application is particularly designed to operate with a desoldering attachment having a single relatively small opening for removing the solder. Generally the internal diameter of the suction orifice of the desoldering tool may be on the order of 1/16 of an inch.
However, it is frequently desired to desolder, for example, dual-in-line integrated circuit packages which may have 14 or 16 pins. In this case it is highly desirable to be able to desolder simultaneously all of the pins thereby to effect a great saving in labor. Similarly there are many multiple lead electronic components such as 3 pin transistors. Integrated circuit packages may have as many as 8 or 10 pins disposed about the circuit package. For such purposes the desoldering package of the copending application cannot be used very well. In view of the larger number of suction openings of the desoldering tip, a much greater through-put of air is required. This in turn requires a larger pipe or connections to a source of vacuum. Thus the minimum diameter of the vacuum lines should be on the order of 1/4 inch.
Furthermore, for such desoldering tips having multiple suction orifices, it is again highly desirable to provide ways or mechanisms for extracting the solder hence to clean the instrument so that it can readily be used again.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a desoldering system for use in connection with a desoldering instrument which permits to remove the solder simultaneously from a plurality of pins such as are used for dual-in-line integrated circuit packages.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a desoldering system including a desoldering tip having a plurality of apertures through which the liquefied solder may be sucked up without any possibility of the solder flowing out again accidentally through the openings in the tip.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the desoldering attachment of the system with a three-way triggerable valve whereby the desoldering tip may be connected at will to a vacuum line which may be automatically closed by spring pressure while simultaneously permitting at will the access of air to the desoldering attachment whereby the solder may be removed and the attachment cleaned.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a soldering extractor connectable to a vacuum line and maintained in a tilted position to facilitate the removal of the solder through the suction openings of the desoldering tip.